End-stop applying apparatus for concealed zip fasteners

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is disclosed for applying end-stop members to concealed type zip fasteners in particular, which apparatus includes a pair of opposed spring-biased rocking arms provided with cam faces and a curling die removably mounted thereon. A reciprocating ram carries a clamping punch operatively associated with the die and movable through a pocket means and forwarding end-stops one at a time therewith to a clamping position. The ram is provided with cam faces engageable with corresponding cam faces of the rocking arms to permit the opposed rocking arms to assume an upright position in which the plane of the die lies normal to the axis of movement of the punch.

United States Patent [191 Douri Feb. 5, 1974 END-STOP APPLYING APPARATUS FOR CONCEALED ZIP FASTENERS Inventor: Hisashi Douri, Uozu, Japan Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan Filed: Oct. 2, 1972 1 Appl. No.: 293,995

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 2, 1971 Japan 46/77308 US. Cl r. 29/2075 ST Int. Cl 823p 19/04 Field of Search29/207.5 ST, 207.5 R, 207.5 SL,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Levine 29/2075 ST Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus is disclosed for applying end-stop members to concealed type zip fasteners in particular, which apparatus includes a pair of opposed springbiased rocking arms provided with cam faces and a curling die removably mounted thereon. A reciprocating ram carries a clamping punch operatively associated with the die and movable through a pocket means and forwarding end-stops one at a time therewith to a clamping position. The ram is provided with cam faces engageable with corresponding cam faces of the rocking arms to permit the opposed rocking arms to assume an upright position in which the plane of the die lies normal to the axis of movement of the punch.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,486

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,486

3 Sheets-Sheet S FIG.5

END-STOP APPLYING APPARATUS FOR CONCEALED ZIP FASTENERS This invention relates to apparatus for applying endstops to zip fasteners and has particular reference to an improved apparatus for clamping bottom end stops into position on a concealed type zip fastener.

A number of devices have been proposed for applying bottom stop members to concealed zip fasteners, but many of them have been designed with a clamping die set on a floor-mounted machine bed so that there is only restricted space available for holding bulky garment fabrics and fasteners sewn thereon in position for application of bottom end stops.

This would retard the speed of'clamping operation. Furthermore, according to the prior-art devices the bottom stop members are allowed to stab through the fastener tape as well as its associated garment fabric.

Whereas, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for applying bottom end-stops to concealed type zip fasteners in particular which will eliminate the above-noted drawbacks of the prior-art devices.

It is another object of the invention to provide an end-stop applying apparatus which is simple in construction and highly reliable in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved end-stop applying apparatus which has all important operating components packed in a single unit and which is operable above the floor providing easy access and sufficient space for positioning the workpiece.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved end-stop applying apparatus which is capable of clamping bottom end-stops into proper position on a concealed zip fastener without allowing them to slip into the fastener tape or garment fabric.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a die part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front elevational views utilized to explain the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a parspective view of a workpiece to which an end-stop is applied.

Briefly stated, the apparatus of the invention comprises a supporting head, a reciprocating ram mounted thereon and having cam faces, a clamping punch integral with said ram, a pocket means consisting of springbiased clippers for retaining an end-stop and movable in frictional contact with said punch, a pair of opposed rocking arms pivotally connected to said supporting head, a compression spring normally urging the upper ends of said arms inwardly toward each other, and a curling die consisting of two identical halves each having an operating tip configured to curl and clamp said end-stop into position on the fastener, said curling die removably being mounted on said arms, each of said arms having a cam face engageable with corresponding cam face of said ram so as to move said arms into an upright position against tension in said compression spring.

Referring now to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, the end-stop applying apparatus comprises a supporting block or head 101 secured to a base (not shown) and positioned a suitable distance above the floor so as to provide sufficient space for the operator to work about the machine. The supporting head 101 has a substantially square bore to accommodate therein a ram 102 and its associated operating parts later described. The ram 102 is driven by a suitable power transmission mechanism (not shown) to make vertical reciprocating movement relative to the head 101 and is designed to complete a full reciprocating stroke in response to each depression of a clutch pedal (not shown). Integral with or affixed to the ram 102 is a clamping punch 103 cooperating with a curling die later described in clamping a bottom end-stop P into position on a concealed zip fastener F attached to a garment fabric C as shown in FIG. 6. The punch 103 is disposed in sandwiched relation to a pair of clippers 104 which are provided to constitute a pocket means 105 for receiving bottom end-stops P one at a time from a supply chute 106 having one end extending into a pocket 105' defined by the clippers 104 and the other end connected to a parts feeder (not shown). The clippers 104 are pivotally connected by pins 107 to a block 108 which is disposed for sliding engagement between an inner wall 109 of the head 101 and the punch 103. The clippers 104 are interconnected at their upper ends by a compression spring 110 as better seen in FIG. 2, which spring normally urges the lower or tip ends of the respective clippers to meet together. The pocket means just briefly described is conventional and well known, and hence requires no further detailed explanatron.

The supporting head 101 is provided at its lower end with side flange portions 111 having mounted on their respective lower ends adjustable limiter pins or bolts 1 12.

There are provided a pair of opposed rocking arms 113 which are accommodated in the flange portions 111 and centrally pivotally connected by pins 114 to the lower portion of the supporting head 101. A compression spring 1 15 is provided to connect between the upper end of each arm 113 and the flange portion 111 of the head 101, whereby the upper ends of the respective arms 113 are normally urged toward each other with their respective lower ends tending to part away but to a point defined by the limiter pins 112 as better seen in FIG. 4. More specifically, the range of arcuate movement of the arms 113 under the influence of the spring 115 is determined by a gap 116 defined between the tip of the limiter pin 112 and the outer surface 117 of the arm 113.

There is provided a curling die 118 operatively associated with the clamping punch 103 and consisting of two identical halves 118a and 1 18b having their respective relatively wide operating tips 112 disposed in opposed relation and configured to curl and clamp the leg portions P of the end-stop P desirably into the folded part of the concealed fastener tape T. The curling die halves 118a, 1181) are respectively removably mounted on the rocking arms 113 by means of threaded bolts 119. More specifically, each die member 118 is provided with a recess 120 for engagement with a laterally extending protuberance 121 of each rocking arm 113 as better seen in FIG. 2. This arrangement advantageously renders it possible to interchange the two identical die members 118a, 118b, i.e., to relocate the one with the other in a symmetrical manner when their operating tips 122 are found worn locally at one sided portions thereof in abrasive contact with the end-stops P during the clamping operation thereby resetting the two die members with their respective unused tip portions oriented in the path of the clamping punch 103.

According to an important aspect of the invention, there is provided a cam face 123 at the upper inner corner of each rocking arm 1 13, which cam face 123 is designed to engage with corresponding cam face 124 provided at the ram 102 for operative purposes hereinafter described.

With the apparatus of the invention thus constructed, it will operate in the following manner.

With a depression of the clutch pedal, the ram 102 commences its downward stroke with the clamping punch 103 pressing against the top flat surface of one bottom end-stop P and forcing the latter to descend together with the pocket means 105. Prior to this the two opposed rocking arms 113 have been biased by the compression springs 115 into the position shown in FIG. 4 in which their respective upper ends or cam faces 123 are tilted inwardly toward each other and their respective lower ends are conversely diverged with their associated die members 118a, 118b open apart wide enough to receive interengaged rows of fastener elements E. As the ram 102 descends, its cam faces 124 are brought into sliding engagement with the cam faces 123 of the rocking arms 113 whereby the arms 113 are forced to rotate about the pins 114 against tension in the springs 115 in a direction tending to assume the upright position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 in which the plane of the die 118 lies substantially normal to the axis of movement of the punch 103 and the clamping operation takes place. The stroke of the ram 102 is calculated so that the clamping punch 1.03 stops substantially in Contact with the fastener elements E and at a level coincidental with the clamping position of the curling die 118 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The bottom end-stop P is retained at its leg portions P by the spring-biased clippers 104 and forced downwardly in abutment with descending punch 103 until it is mounted astride of the elements E. At this time point, the pocket means 105 (clippers 104) is held to a stop just above the elements E, while the punch 103 continues to descend pressing the end-stop P against the elements E and holding it is position for clamping by the curling die 118. In this manner, the end-stop P is clamped correctly into position on the fastener F, more 4. specifically into a desired position in which its leg portions P are curled arcuately inwardly and anchored in the folds of the concealed zip fastener F by the converging action of the opposed die members 1 18a, 118b.

Upon completion of a cycle of the above clamping operation, the apparatus returns to the initial position shown in FIG. 4 in which the punch 103 has ascended just above the level of the chute 106 with the ram 102 completely disengaged with the rocking arms 1 13, allowing the latter to assume an inwardly tilted position under the influence of the compression spring 1 15, in which position the curling die 118 opens wider for receiving a subsequent workpiece.

Having thus described the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise form and construction herein advanced, but various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An end-stop applying apparatus for concealed zip fasteners which comprises a supporting head, a reciprocating ram mounted thereon and having cam faces, a clamping punch integral with said ram, a pocket means containing and supplying end-stops, a pair of opposed rocking arms pivotally connected to said supporting head, a compression spring normally urging the upper ends of said arms inwardly toward each other, and a curling die consisting of two identical halves each having an operating tip configured to curl and clamp said end-stop into position on the fastener, said curling die being removably mounted on said arms, each of said arms having a cam face engageable with corresponding cam face of said ram so as to move said arms into an upright position against tension in said compression spring.

2. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 wherein said identical halves of the curling die are interchangeable.

3. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 which further includes a means cooperative with said compression spring for holding the plane of said die normal to the axis of movement of said punch during the clamping operation.

4. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means is a limiter pin adjustably connected to the supporting head.

5. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pocket means consists of spring-biased clippers for retaining an end-stop and movable in frictional contact with said punch. 

1. An end-stop applying apparatus for concealed zip fasteners which comprises a supporting head, a reciprocating ram mounted thereon and having cam faces, a clamping punch integral with said ram, a pocket means containing and supplying end-stops, a pair of opposed rocking arms pivotally connected to said supporting head, a compression spring normally urging the upper ends of said arms inwardly toward each other, and a curling die consisting of two identical halves each having an operating tip configured to curl and clamp said end-stop into position on the fastener, said curling die being removably mounted on said arms, each of said arms having a cam face engageable with corresponding cam face of said ram so as to move said arms into an upright position against tension in said compression spring.
 2. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 wherein said identical halves of the curling die are interchangeable.
 3. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 which further includes a means cooperative with said compression spring for holding the plane of said die normal to the axis of movement of said punch during the clamping operation.
 4. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means is a limiter pin adjustably connected to the supporting head.
 5. The end-stop applying apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pocket means consists of spring-biased clippers for retaining an end-stop and movable in frictional contact with said punch. 